Most computer-based search engines are indexed in the English language. However, a majority of the world population uses a language other than English as their primary language. A search engine that is indexed in English typically returns less than optimal results when a search query is presented in a non-English language form.
Languages are typically expressed in a specific writing system, e.g., a script, which is characterized by a particular alphabet. For example, words in the English language are written using the Latin alphabet, while words in the Russian language are written using the Cyrillic alphabet. Many alphabets include characters that are unique, e.g., marks and/or letters that are not included in other alphabets. Transliteration is the practice of using the script of one language to represent words that are normally written in the script of another language.
For example, a vast number of computer keyboards are based on the Latin alphabet, e.g., the conventional QWERTY keyboard. A user wishing to write a Russian word using a Latin alphabet keyboard is limited to the Latin characters that are available on the keyboard. As a result, the user typically uses the Latin characters to approximate the desired Russian word. The Russian word that is approximated using Latin characters is referred to as a transliteration and/or a transliterated word.
Search engines that receive a transliterated word as part of a search query typically seek an exact match of the transliterated word. This can produce less than optimal search results for the user.